One day conference on blasphemy and religious laws

“BLASPHEMY!” - BLASPHEMY, RELIGIOUS HATRED, AND HUMAN RIGHTS: WHO SPEAKS FOR THE SACRED?

The British Humanist Association and the Centre for Inquiry UK are pleased to present a fantastically thought provoking one day conference on freedom of speech and blasphemy laws. The idea of blasphemy is closely linked to the concept of the sacred, this event focuses on the criminalization of religious hatred, defamation, and insult under European human rights, and how this functions as a de facto blasphemy law.

Introduced by Dr Stephen Law of Heythrop College, University of London and Editor of Think (Royal Institute Philosophy) Provost of Centre for Inquiry UK.

Presenters Include:
• Kenan Malik, writer, lecturer and broadcaster. He has written and presented a number of radio and TV documentaries including Are Muslims Hated?, Islam, Mullahs and the Media. His latest book is From Fatwa to Jihad: The Rushdie Affair and its Legacy.
• Andrew Copson is chief executive of the British humanist association and has spent five years coordinating the association's campaigns work including on blasphemy and free speech issues.
• Austin Dacey, Ph.D., is a representative to the United Nations for the International Humanist and Ethical Union and the author of The Future of Blasphemy.
• Jacob Mchangama, is director of legal affairs at Danish think tank CEPOS and an external lecturer in International Human Rights law at the University of Copenhagen. Jacob has a special focus on freedom of expression and has published articles in international newspapers such as Wall Street Journal Europe and his work on human rights and free speech has been mentioned in The Economist, CBS.com and Courrier International.